Lindsay Lohan In Talks To Play Elizabeth Taylor In Lifetime Movie

EXCLUSIVE: After emulating Marilyn Monroe in a series of photo shoots, most recently for Playboy, Lindsay Lohan may be taking on another screen legend, Elizabeth Taylor. I have learned that the 25-year-old actress is in early talks for the female lead in Lifetime’s original movie Elizabeth & Richard: A Love Story, chronicling the enduring love of movie icons Taylor and Richard Burton, whose fiery romance was the most notorious, publicized and celebrated love affair of its day. The film, produced by Larry Thompson (Amish Grace) and written by Christopher Monger (Temple Grandin), was originally announced as part as Lifetime’s 2011-12 development slate. Lohan, a child actress who successfully transitioned into young adult roles with Freaky Friday and Mean Girls, has been largely sidelined from her acting career for the past couple of years by stints in rehab, jail, court rooms, and recently a morgue as part of her community service. Lohan’s most recent credits include the features Machete and Labor Pains and an arc on ABC’s Ugly Betty. Lohan has been compared to Taylor. In addition to their physical resemblance, a 2004 Slate story lists a host of other similarities: “Both had domineering stage mothers, little semblance of a real childhood, fame from a young age, substance abuse issues, public emotional outpourings, and copious amounts of tabloid drama. The key difference, though, is that Elizabeth Taylor had a true record of achievement before she became the most notorious movie star in America.”

115 Comments

Matthew • on Jan 9, 2012 6:33 pm

I’m surprised she has time to shoot this with all the work she must be doing on that Linda Lovelace biopic. Oh, wait…

Shy • on Jan 10, 2012 3:35 am

It’s probably gonna end like that Linda Lovelace movie. Or Gotti. It will go nowhere and eventually Lohan will be fired by producers and will be replaced by some other D-list actress. But the damage to Elizabeth’s memory will be done.

Michele Martin • on Jan 9, 2012 6:36 pm

You’ve got to be kidding! She is NOT that good of an actress….not that Taylor was however…..and she certainly is NOT so beautiful! Besides, would any bond company be foolish enough to post a bond on her?

sd • on Jan 9, 2012 8:41 pm

Taylor not a good actress? Obviously you’ve never seen Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

pets • on Jan 10, 2012 10:02 am

or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, or Cleopatra, or any other Elizabeth Taylor film…

Duffy Odum • on Jan 10, 2012 12:54 pm

Liz Taylor not a good actress?! What planet are YOU from?

lethargic • on Jan 9, 2012 6:47 pm

I’d rather see Sherilyn Fenn play her again.

Finn • on Jan 9, 2012 6:48 pm

Eeeewwwww. This is a joke, right?

Jim • on Jan 9, 2012 6:49 pm

This is disgraceful. Someone so trashy shouldn’t be playing the role of a Hollywood icon.

monique • on Jan 9, 2012 8:12 pm

Liz Taylor was rich and liked diamonds and yeah, she was an icon but there was plenty of trashy about her… let’s not canonize the woman simply because she was Hollywood royalty.

But yeah, Lindsay as LT is a bad idea.

Monica • on Jan 10, 2012 1:38 pm

Elizabeth Taylor was trashy? Please! The woman saved countless lives, she spoke up about AIDS when celebrities were being told not to talk about it, she donated hundreds of millions to AIDS research, she founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and co-founded amFAR, and was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth. Anyone who calls her trashy ought to get their brain checked out.

mom09 • on Jan 17, 2012 10:38 pm

She may have done a lot of good in her later years, but she is still the same woman who slept with her friends husbands, stole her castmate’s husbands, and basically ripped apart families. She was not a saint, and she was way older than Lindsay when she was doing all of this. Lilo is young give her time to make up for her mistakes, she is beautiful and talented, she just screwed up. None of us are perfect and we have all made stupid moves, and we all have had second, third, or even more chances.

Steve Belgard • on Jan 9, 2012 6:50 pm

Whacha talkin’ about, Willis?

Optimisitc • on Jan 9, 2012 7:03 pm

Hollywood loves a comeback. She’ll get the part done. Just you watch.

KXB • on Jan 10, 2012 9:42 am

Lemmme guess- you and the Lohan family do the same meth, right?

Ricky • on Jan 9, 2012 7:03 pm

I think Lohan can pull this off. Hope she does well playing such an icon.

JeezeLouise • on Jan 9, 2012 7:04 pm

What a revolting development THIS is.

dee123 • on Jan 10, 2012 12:13 am

Yep. I actually felt sick about this.

j.a.m. • on Jan 10, 2012 7:13 am

Funny enough, I recently participated in a research study for what I assumed was Lifetime. One of the things it seems they wanted to find out was why someone like me, a TV watching working mom age 36 does not watch that channel. If this news is to be believed, and I took that survey today, I would say that their “brand” sucks to associate with Lohan and with this move they ensure that I would never watch them. Seriously – this would drive me to loath this channel because with all the responsible, hardworking talented actresses out there, Lifetime would just go for some stunt casting with an entitled celebrity to draw viewers – the way drivers stop to look at an accident on the side of the road. Disgusting.

Shaun Daily-Las Vegas • on Jan 9, 2012 7:12 pm

Not just no but oh hell no!

bobby • on Jan 9, 2012 7:13 pm

babysteps

Joan • on Jan 9, 2012 7:14 pm

“Lohan has often been compared to Taylor. In addition to their physical resemblance”

Was this written by Lindsay’s agent or something? The two of them look nothing alike.

jeremy Henderson • on Jan 9, 2012 7:24 pm

Lohan’s agent is John Burnham and this was a good move of hers to go with him. He is still a very good agent. And she is still a very good actress. I’m pleased for her.

my2cents • on Jan 9, 2012 10:40 pm

LOL! “He is STILL a very good agent.” — do you mean, even though he is in his 60’s? It’s hilarious that you are simultaneously supporting him and bashing him. Or did I miss something significant?

jeremy Henderson • on Jan 10, 2012 9:30 am

No, you didn’t miss anything: I’m supporting him. And her.

Indrid Cold • on Jan 10, 2012 9:18 am

“John Burnham”. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!

In all sincerity, you either WORK for John, are FRIENDS with John, are RELATED to John or have no friggin’ idea what you’re talking about!

CJS • on Jan 9, 2012 7:31 pm

Joan – It was probably written by LiLo’s mom, Dina.

Skippy • on Jan 10, 2012 7:40 am

If you asked me to name 150 people who “physically resembled” Elizabeth Taylor, Lindsay Lohan’s name wouldn’t come up.

sylvia • on Jan 10, 2012 5:00 pm

totally agree

Indrid Cold • on Jan 9, 2012 7:17 pm

I cannot think of a worse idea. Well, I’m sure I can if I tried. Heidi Fleiss. Paris Hilton. Kim K…

Madaketgal • on Jan 9, 2012 7:19 pm

Love Elizabeth Taylor – think she was a GREAT actress (has Michele Martin seen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Butterfield 8, or Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? That being said, movies about actors seem ill-advised, in general. Too inside baseball.

woody • on Jan 9, 2012 7:22 pm

If she sobered up and disappeared for a year and then came back in a powerful independent she could have a huge comeback. But she’s a loser and won’t do that.

Terri Nelson • on Jan 9, 2012 7:24 pm

Absolutely amazing that she could even be offered something in this category based On her recent press and background!

Betty b • on Jan 9, 2012 7:25 pm

Why????? Hollywood, Why???? *I need a drink. :-/

filmstudent • on Jan 9, 2012 7:25 pm

OH HELL, no you WON’T.

JW • on Jan 9, 2012 7:25 pm

CAREER- OOOVVVVAAAAA

BRAD • on Jan 9, 2012 7:26 pm

Now that will be acting. A SELFISH person potraying a SELFLESS person.

jasmine • on Jan 9, 2012 7:27 pm

What a disaster. That raspy, cigarette/drug ravaged voice trying to sound like Liz. That’s not even getting into how terrible she’s looking these days. I like to believe Nikki chose those pics just to highlight the ridiculousness of the claim that there’s any resemblance between the two.

Lohan’s been coasting off of her rep as a precocious kid actor. She’s NEVER turned in a solid, mature performance. She’s simply not that good of an actress.

The Truth • on Jan 9, 2012 7:30 pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Who would give this trainwreck a job???? is this supposed to be an over-the-top campy comedy? How is she gonna lay off the self tanner and peroxide to do this air quote “film”. Lindsay Lohan CANT play a character cuz all you see is the celebrity. Not an actor. Plus, her skills as an actor died when she became famous and obsessed with fame. Now she’s just infamous. When is she “retiring”? She has already been retired. And, by the way “Labor Pains” was an ABC Family movie and wasn’t she a cameo/joke in “Machete”??? Such great PR Spin!!! Wasn’t she also fired from her “recent” job “Ugly Betty” cuz she was sooooo professional. Just quit Lindsay. do a reality show and when that dies-move on.

Eric • on Jan 9, 2012 7:40 pm

Not trying to be an asshole, but it’s a film that is being made for Lifetime not the big screen, so the chances of getting an A lister is slim to none.

That said, I like Lindsay and she is great when she wants to be. Don’t blame her for shitty parenting. She is a victim of the machine. Most child actors don’t do so well with life as they get older, because they have never been disciplined properly. Everything has been handed to them and they have been catered to. Chances are you would turn out the same as her if you wore her shoes.

woody • on Jan 9, 2012 8:46 pm

there is no machine. she’s been given countless golden opportunities and screwed them all up. she is a loser plain and simple.

Eric • on Jan 9, 2012 10:19 pm

She has grown up without any direction or good parenting and she is a product of her environment.

And yes the entertainment industry is a machine. Not saying that is bad, it’s just how it is and has to be.

Anonymous • on Jan 9, 2012 10:47 pm

humans aren’t forever junk after a season of mess ups. if so, we should do away with the penal system entirely. I would hate to be your kid or sibling…

PhillipP • on Jan 10, 2012 3:50 am

Just look at Mayim Bialik. I am so tired of people blaming Lindsay’s mom for her wasted life. She is an adult, she chose her drug addled thieving ways.

Mimi • on Jan 10, 2012 6:15 am

Excuses, excuses… plenty of people have grown up into responsible productive adults despite “bad parenting”.

Lindsey is a train wreck of her own making. As many have said, she hasn’t turned in a single decent performance as an adult actress. She’s sabotaged any and all opportunities to do so. Posing for playboy and appearing in court countless times don’t count.

She deserves no special favors… no major roles playing icons like Taylor, not until she’s earned her way back and shown she has what it takes, small role by small role, responsible choice after responsible choice.

sylvia • on Jan 10, 2012 5:00 pm

leighton meester was born in a prison and her mother even tried suing her for money and yet she is nowhere close to acting like lindsay lohan! i agree with the others, that’s just a lame excuse to deflect the blame from the person who is responsible for messing up her life – lindsay herself!

nic • on Jan 9, 2012 7:44 pm

Oh GOD! WHY? Why do you Hollywood people keep hiring this drugged out loser with no fan appeal??? There are wonderful actresses out there that would love to play this part & instead a druggie gets rewarded? I hope she doesn’t get the part, it would be a disgrace to Taylor’s memory. Not to mention, if she is in the movie, I wont watch it and I sure many others will skip it too.

TV Fan • on Jan 9, 2012 8:30 pm

Who you calling, “you Hollywood People?”

Eric • on Jan 9, 2012 8:55 pm

What’s living in a glass house like?

Delance Vance • on Jan 10, 2012 9:06 am

It’s quite nice actually – the views are rather superb.

The only down side is cleaning them. Do you know a good window washer?

Michael • on Jan 9, 2012 7:44 pm

All of you sit here and say she’s a train wreck and loser but how can she get back on track with this lack of support?! The girl needs a movie to prove she still has chops, and although you all state other-wise everyone knows she has talent. Period.Have you seen Mean Girls? Freaky Friday? Bobby? She was good. So give the girl a break. You just watch her kill this performance. Wait and see.

Average Joe • on Jan 9, 2012 9:09 pm

Haha. Thanks for the funny post, Michael.

PhillipP • on Jan 10, 2012 3:51 am

Must be her mom her rep.

Nanea • on Jan 10, 2012 5:59 am

Are you Michael L?She was good.

That was a long time ago, before her cracked-out shenanigans and duckbill/trout-pout lips.

CJS • on Jan 10, 2012 7:20 am

Michael – As in, Michael Lohan, LiLo’s dad, right? And I notice that all the movies you mention are from many years ago, nothing recent. Oh, wait, she hasn’t had a starring role recently, unless you want to count her court appearances.

Indrid Cold • on Jan 10, 2012 9:22 am

I honestly can’t tell if this is sarcasm.

Seriously? • on Jan 10, 2012 4:24 pm

“The girl needs a movie to prove she still has chops.” No, what she needs is to get her life in order FIRST. She has had countless film opportunities but couldn’t be counted on because of her screwed up personal life. She cannot and will not succeed professionally until she gets herself back on track.